Mass. State Police Body Camera Pilot Begins

The Massachusetts State Police announced Monday it has started a six-month body camera pilot program.

About 100 troopers will wear body cameras provided by several different vendors. Superintendent Col. Kerry Gilpin said in the statement the department will later pick "the best solution" after trying out various cameras.

"The cameras will provide an additional level of accountability and accuracy for Troopers during their interactions with the public, increase officer safety, and enhance the ability to accurately document the actions of criminal offenders," state police said in the statement.

State police leaders and Gov. Charlie Baker had promised the body camera pilot last April as part of sweeping reforms announced in the immediate wake of the overtime pay scandal that rocked the beleaguered department in March of 2018.

The union that represents most troopers, the State Police Association of Massachusetts (SPAM), signed a memorandum of understanding with State Police brass to officially support the body camera program.

"SPAM is committed to working in partnership with the Baker-Polito Administration in employing new technologies that may benefit the safety of SPAM’s members and the public that we protect," union president Mark Lynch said.

Within the next two weeks, all participating troopers will have started wearing their body cameras.

With reporting from WBUR's Lisa Creamer and The State House News Service's Colin A. Young